The Battle of Hill Eerie refers to several Korean War engagements between the United Nations forces and the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) in 1952 at Hill Eerie, a military outpost Battle

March 1952

In March 1952, Hill Eerie was the responsibility of the United States Army's 45th Infantry Division – Company K, 179th Infantry, commanded by Captain Max Clark.

On March 21, 1952, the twenty-six personnel of the third platoon, under the command of Lieutenant Omer Manley, set out to take over the outpost. Manley's men made up two rifle squads, a light-machine-gun squad and a 60-mm mortar squad.

Manley sent out two patrols to establish an ambush site around the hill. That night, both patrol squads sighted enemy activity. At 23:30, the Chinese attacked and a machine gun duel between the two sides ended after Captain Clark's troops on Hill 418 supported his men in the Eerie outpost with supporting machine-gun and mortar fire.

The battle continued on the morning of March 22 with the Chinese forces penetrating the outpost's perimeter and eventually overran Manley's men. Clark was then ordered to concentrate his artillery fire on Outpost Eerie after losing communications. At 01:30, Regimental Commander, Colonel Frederick A. Daugherty, ordered Clark to advance toward the hill and retake the hill.

Clark's men searched the area and found out that, of the 26 men who had defended the outpost, 8 were dead, 4 wounded, and 2 were missing (Lieutenant Manley and Corporal Joel Ybarra). They also recovered 31 enemy dead from around the hill and captured a wounded Chinese soldier. Later, Clark withdrew his troops to the main line of resistance.

May 1952

In May 1952, the 20th Philippine Battalion Combat Team, under the command of Colonel Querobin, engaged the Chinese forces at the town of Karhwagol, west of Chorwon; they were also involved in other major battles and assaults against the Chinese forces.

There were numerous closely fought battles on Hill Eerie, as well as on Hills 18, 200, and 19, ('Yoke', 'Uncle' and 'Old Baldy'), all in the T-Bone Hill area, but later the 20th were committed to the Beef Steak Hill area and in Alligator Sky.

Hill Eerie was a military outpost that changed hands many times and was a heavily fortified position with a commanding view of the plains below.

A series of raids were launched by the Filipinos, from May 18, led by Lieutenant Rodolfo Maestro, killing 28 CCF and a further 23 the next day, before disengaging with the enemy while tanks and artillery continued to bombard the outpost.

On May 21, 1952, Colonel Abcede ordered Major Felizardo Tanabe, the battalion's operations officer, to prepare the final assault on the Chinese position after several attempts to capture the outpost. Tanabe sent the 44-man 2nd reconnaissance platoon to sabotage the position.

The platoon was led by a young Filipino officer, a 1950 graduate of West Point's United States Military Academy, 2nd Lieutenant Fidel V. Ramos (future President of the Philippines).

Ramos divided the assault team into four groups of snipers, riflemen, scouts and forward observers, each with a radio operator, a messenger and a medic. The platoon was reinforced by some engineer demolition specialists and an artillery observer team. They left at 04:07.

The Filipino platoon crawled through rice paddies and scattered trees for two hours before it reach an irrigation ditch, about 400 meters from the top of the hill. Intelligence estimated the enemy strength to be one reinforced platoon of the Chinese Red Army.

The United States Air Force sent seven F-86 Sabre jet fighters to pound the enemy positions with napalm. There was also artillery support. After the bombardment, Ramos' men seized the front part of the trench network after discovering a hole in the blasted stack of barbed wire.

Close-quarter fighting raged as the retreating enemy fought back but the advancing Filipinos were gaining the upper hand. The scout team, led by Corporal Jose Palis, went into action on the right of the hill and was later joined by Lieutenant Ramos. Meanwhile, the rifle team, led by Sergeant Cipriano Drapeza, worked its way round to the left side of the hill while the sniper team, led by Second Lieutenant Yel Claveria, held the enemy's support from nearby Hill 191.

By 07:28, the Filipinos had demolished the Chinese bunkers and withdrawn from the top of the hill. Friendly tanks resumed their bombardment of Hill Eerie.

The assault lasted for two hours, Ramos' men suffered one injury while the Chinese had 1100 dead, 2540 wounded, whether from the supporting artillery, tanks and air strikes could not be determined. The battle was the final assault on Hill Eerie by the United Nations forces.

The Filipino battalion was replaced by the 2nd Battalion of the 179th United States Infantry.

June 1952

On June 16, 1952, the 19th Philippine Battalion Combat Team, under the command of Colonel Ramon Z. Aguirre, relieved the American battalion in the T-Bone ridge sector.

By June 18, the Chinese forces sought to recapture the area and launched an intense artillery and mortar barrage. The Filipinos held their ground and were able to repulse the Chinese attack.

On June 20, the Chinese forces launched another attack towards Hill Eerie and the rest of the T-Bone ridge area. At dawn, the Chinese had advanced sufficiently to engage in hand-to-hand fighting but the Filipino troops were able to hold the position.

By morning, the artillery battle continued but the allied forces successfully defended Hills Eerie and 191. As a result of the battle it was estimated that the CCF suffered 500 casualties while the Filipinos had 24.

The Filipino battalion was later relieved by the US 2nd Infantry Division on July 18, 1952.

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Capt. Conrado D. Yap, a member of the Tenth Battalion Combat Team, Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK), was one of the soldiers who were killed in action during the Battle of Yuldong on April 22-23, 1951.

Shortly before midnight on 22 April 1951, his company, occupying defensive positions, came under a vicious hostile attack which seriously penetrated the perimeter. Exploiting the breach, the enemy launched successive, determined assaults throughout the night. Constantly exposed to machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire, Captain Yap crawled from foxhole to foxhole, steadying his men and encouraging them to hold firm. Learning that his First Platoon had been overrun, and despite orders from his battalion commander to withdraw his unit, he fearlessly led a daring charge in a determined effort to reach the beleaguered platoon. Overwhelming enemy strength and heavy fire received from flanks and to the front notwithstanding, they relentlessly pressed the assault, regained the hill, evacuated the casualties, and rescued the isolated unit. Observing a stricken soldier on the slope of the hill, Captain Yap immediately started toward the man but was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy fire. Inspired by his heroic conduct, his men continued the fight with such determination and skill that the enemy attack was contained and numerous casualties were inflicted. Captain Yap's display of courage, devotion to duty, and inspiring leadership reflect the highest credit on himself and the Army of the Republic of the Philippines.

He was awarded the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF VALOR, the highest award that the Philippine Government can give; and the DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, the highest award given by the United States Government to a foreign officer.

Below is the speech delivered by his daughter, Isabelita Yap-Aganon, during the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of Yuldong at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Taguig City:

"My dearest Pa, It is now exactly 65 years ago today when you and your courageous men, who were fighting for democracy in Korea, unfortunately perished in the Battle of Yuldong. That day, with a handful of brave men, you set out to rescue the platoon of Lt. Jose Artiaga, Jr. They were defending a very strategic hill. This hill was essential to the defense of the entire battalion. The communists knew the value of that hill and rushed to overrun it, almost wiping out the platoon. You wanted to make sure that each and every member of the platoon were accounted for. You didn't want to leave any of your men behind. You have to bring them back whole, dead or alive. That is probably why, when I met some of your comrades, just a few years back, they unshamedly wept. When Mom learned of your fate in the Battle of Yuldong , she was devastated -- you were not coming back to us, your family of 3 young girls and wife. The foremost question that came into Mom's mind was how would she manage our lives with you gone forever. Up to now, this is a question people we meet usually ask. "How did you manage?" That's a question that each and every young KIA soldier's family had to deal with. Managing our lives without you is still a continuation of yours and Mom's long life's story. I believe that she was able to raise us to the level of your expectations. Mom passed away just 2 and a half months ago at the age of 94.

She could have hand carried this letter when she passed on. But her passing was so sudden. She was just taking an afternoon nap on her favorite easy chair, beside a picture window in Patricia’s house on a hill, overlooking the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, USA. Pa, this is my report to you on how we lived our lives. It is a "mission accomplished" for both you and Mom, though I am fully aware that you were always there, watching over us --- With the realization that you will no longer come back to us physically, the only consolations Mom had were the honors that were bestowed on you. You were awarded the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF VALOR, the highest award that the Philippine Government can give; and the DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, the highest award given by the United States Government to a foreign officer. You earned both of these honors in the Korean War, fighting for democracy and for sacrificing your life beyond the call of duty.

We are so proud of you. And we, your children, try to live up to that precious heritage you left us in our small ways. There were no pensions available at that time to families of young soldiers killed in action. Mom was faced with the day-to-day life of having to raise us, your three young children ages, 2, 4 and 6. Mom had to sell our house in Cubao, Quezon City. We moved back to Grandpa's house in Candelaria Zambales, yours and Mom's hometown and where you first met and courted when you took a vacation from the PMA. With the proceeds from the house sale, she bought some farmland in Zambales and Nueva Ecija. Both sides of your families supplemented the meager income we got from the harvest.

When we were all of school age, upon Mom's decision we moved back in Quezon City. With the help of your sister, Angeles and mom's relatives, we were able to finish our education from primary until we earned our college degrees. This family support, characteristic of the Filipino culture, helped us survive life. Galena, your eldest is a UP nutrition graduate and a registered nurse in California. She specializes in the neonatal field and took care of vulnerable and very sick babies. Patricia, your youngest, is an insurance and service counselor and she is so accommodating to everyone who seeks her advise and help. She is like an unofficial life coach to Filipinos in her community. She is based in California, too.

I am a UP Fine Arts graduate and an entrepreneur here in the Philippines. My day-to-day life is filled with something Korean. Pa, your spirit must be working overtime here. During the day, I design and manage production of garments. Our materials are sourced from several Korean textile suppliers. In the afternoon and evening, I relax by watching Korean shows and telenovela in KBS, Arirang and iFlix. We also have Korean tenants in our rental property. My mobile phone is Samsung. So, Korea is with me 24 hours a day, 7days a week! Pa, I am just trying to tell you that your death was not in vain because Korea now has a lot to show to the world. They have picked themselves up after the war, where you gallantly fought, and they have progressed phenomenally as a nation. Love you Pa, and extend my love to Ma forever.